A country that receives aid

Tanzania - LEDC

For every £1 given in foreign aid given to LEDC's, £9 is paid back to MEDC's in foreign debt repayments.

Background - Why does Tanzania need aid?

Tanzania is a poor country in western Africa. Its weak economy makes it one of the poorest countries in the world. Like many African countries, it borrowed a lot of money in the 1960's and 1970's. In the 1980's the interest rates shot up and Tanzania had to borrow more money just to meet its repayments. Soon it owed £5 billion, the equivalent of every Tanzanian owing £161. The average wage for a common job is about 50p per day.

People now have to pay for education (£12 per year). That is a lot for many. Any students' who cannot pay are sent home from school. Tanzania spends 3 times as much on repaying it's debts as it does on education. Families can fall behind on their payments if they have a bad harvest. Tanzania once had one of the best education systems in Africa, now they don't even have desks.

What aid does Tanzania receive?

One way to help is through international foreign aid. Large-scale, capital intensive aid projects include the construction of electricity generating stations to provide electricity for the whole country. Small-scale projects are also used such as sending second-hand clothes from rich countries in Europe and America. However, Tanzania has received so many second-hand clothes that it has damaged the local manufacturing industry. Unless aid is used in the right way it can be more of a hindrance than a help.

How can aid be sustainable?

Babati is a small mountainous region in the north of Tanzania. Agriculture is extremely important for the people living there. Some aid projects have decided to target farming. Farm Africa is a British organisation that started a £200,000 aid project in the local villages. The aid brings very little in from outside the country. It focuses on training and identifying problems and solutions with the local community. This is more sustainable. Just giving things is not sustainable. The communities need to feel ownership of projects if they are to be successful and continue.

Farm Africa have imported dairy goats. The milk is important for giving children a good diet. A group of people share a goat. It is too expensive just to give out goats so when one kids, they are passed on to other villagers. Consequently, many benefit and are able to help themselves.

Schools are also supported by Farm Africa, they support the education of students in sustainable farming. They are able to teach their parents better farming techniques. As a result, they have better harvests and greater crop yields.

The Farm Africa aid initiative has brought many benefits to local communities with very little being bought in and without taking away their dignity. Education of local people has made the aid given more sustainable.

D.Drake 2008